Cam-making lathe attachment



Aug. 29, 1950 v. J. MEANY CAM-MAKING LATHE ATTACHMENT Filed Nov. 20, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 CE] I o 0 52 Ir a L. INVENTOR 25 VINCENT J. MEANY /dalokldggw ATTORNEY Aug. 29, 1950 v. J. MEANY 2,520,607

CAM-MAKING LATHE ATTACHMENT Filed Nov. 20, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mint/{7% 25 INVENTOR VINCENT J. MEANY 7 tgw KW ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 29, 1 956 Vincent J. Meany, Passaic, N. J assignor of onefourth to Thelma'Winrock, Staten Island, N. Y.', I. one-fourth to Eleanor Cooper, Hasbrouck Heights; and onewfourth to Edward Torsney',

Newark, N. J..

Application November 20, 1946, Serial No. 711,1 1

. 6 Claims.-i (01. 90-15) l. 7 My present invention relates to a novel method of making cams and to a machine for carrying out this method whereby the manufactureof cams for the machine tool industry-maybe expedited.

At present a common practice of cam-making involves first the laying out by hand of the cam shape or contour on afcircula cam blank whichis marked off by a multiplicity of equiangularly spaced radii, usually one hundred. Along each- Fig. 31 a p V e O w 1 radius the precise throw that the 'cam is to have Fig. 4 is a side View, looking from the left'in" at that particular point is measured and marked Fig. 2 r i ofi, and a smooth curve which will then define Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the the desired cam shapefiis drawnjoining the sev; l 5 =5 of V I 7 I eral marked oil" pointsn The next step co ists Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are'views similar to that shown in roughly cutting awayjhewexcess material, as in ssh w n r sp t y. the s ri in by means of a, band saw 'Ihj is followed by grinding and 'milling attachments in operi ttive hand-filing as accurately as possible down tov position; and V l, i said laid-out curve, or cut on an expensive uni- Figs. 9- and 10 Show, by way of example, parversal milling machine. Obviously this hand ticular came o d s ed hape 9 1 method of cam-making is tedious, time consum w ll rve o pl in he' pr r w i h s f ing, nottoo-pre'cise, and costly. lowed in the'course of manufacture of such cams T It is therefore one ofthe objects of my'invem' n accordance with my invention. i 1 tion to provide a method'of'cam-making and a Referring to the p y g drawing a machine therefor with which itis'possibleito 5 e particularly to there s illustrated manufacture precision cams at a" minimum cost, an ordinary typ of n wn s ew-cu tin l he without the need f skilled lab r, and t much which includes a base or bed Ii] upon which is lower cost than at present. i j supported at the left the usual headstock II. The' A further object ofmy inventionfis'to'provide" tailstock' whichis supported on the 'base at the; a-cam-making attachment for a lathe which is right s not shown. A spindle and gear (not: simple inoperation-andconstruction, has very Shown) for driving the p dle are housed in few if any, wearing surfaces requiresonly a few? the headstock,and mounted on the right-hand machined parts,- and requires very-little or no end of the spindle is a'chuck 1-2. In-thecus-" maintenance. 1

1 tomary use of the lathe the chuck is adapted to 1 More specifically, my invention contemplates receive a work-piece (not shown) to be machined an attachment or fixture which i bl i or otherwise 'workedom- In the use of the pres--- junction with an ordinary screw-cutting ath ent invention, the cam-makingattachment-1s; and which is provided with a-shaft and suitable pl'ovided'with'a drive s aft Which sd reduction gearing whereby said shaft ofthe at--- ei yed 110 pp y the chuck and theretachment y be driven from the latheat a 40 fore to be driven'by the lathe. predetermined reduced speed, said shaft having e lathe d 1 s' o d onits a'y a cam-blank to be shaped keyed thereon, and'th' l4 a longitudinally movable carriage l5 which cross-slide, power'fedfrom the lathe-also ate mey e of the customary ype nd which in a predetermined d d d, is arranged. t 5111 known manner is adapted to be power fed-toward port the necessary tools-or devices, such as scrib-f and y o e ead oc I by means ofa ing tool, grinder and milling tool, in cooperative l -scr w Hip n he c rr e I5 is mounted relation with the rotating cam-blank for'- auto--- he usual cross-slide I! which is adaptfid y matically laying t, ttin away d a i means of its lead-screw (not shown) to be power ing the cam to a high degree of accuracy, fed in a transverse direction; I By means of'a With the above'and other objects in view', m cross feed knob the cross Slide is causedito" invention consists of certain novel details of conbe moved manually I i struction and combinations of parts hereinafter T e cam-making attachment according to 'm-y 7 fully described and claimed, it being understood nve tio shown gen a y t l iSalso mountedthat various modifications :may -be"resorted to on the ways M-andcomplises- (Fig. 2) a steel within the scope of the appended-claims without my frame having a pair-of tip-standing sides 19, a

departing from the spirit or sacrificing a the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying of this specification, Fig. 1 is a view, in perspective, of the cammaking attachment oi the invention in operative position on the lathe; 7 i 'Fig'. 2 is a front elevational view; partly in tion, of the attachment shown in Fig. 1";

sec-f drawings" forming part of the sides, as by means of screws 23.

:lower end 30 of whichis rdnced and joyrn cross-plate 20 extending between the sides and secured thereto as by means of screws 2|, and a top plate 22 suitably secured to the upper ends The frame is adapted to straddle the cross-slide IT as shown in Fig. 1 and to berigi dlyafig xed to the lathe bed by'sluifjab l e means. f $911 thisfpur pose each of the two frame sides 19 is provided with an extension or leg 24 on which there is supported a clamping member 25, A second clamping member 25' (see Fig. 6)' is across the lower adjacent edge sqithe ways, and a stud 26 which passes through sui able the two clamps and extensjibnjsp ovided with ahead 21 at the lower endand W131i]. aiiutlfiv at the upper end, so that by tightening up on the nuts, one on each side,. the attachment securely mounted in operativeiiaositioi'roii' thelathe bed.

Extending upwardly from the frame, and centta rl qaiesl th we. sla e i sha t 2. 1 the nan. w thi beer ils-tir tainefl the n n a e is pijgy lded with asa cmar 'nper ep an. it; is s nd.

ea nrp ie and. a e ait n the purpose of which will be described;

pin 38, later.

located in the space between the top plateig a ia lieetq e eie 1 5 a warr nts- *1 whic sa ed a th 44. an a-secondthrust be 111g "t elat et hears on a biishin g 4 2 o f oi lite which in turnis fittedz nta ha r ss a e nmate-me whe l it qnh si t hlameans such. e r p ti uslnmentio ed ts end remntey rem the huc .endioi rnall dwitmn ah sb-ina' taiinetha he .PGIQ.S,:SHQB.IJ1. by means-ref a.. knoh.:ers handle. The; tool-n sticompound .isadaptad to; have. bolted .witliinits T .-shaped.-.groore 5 I. a; selected. one of.. several. tqoleicarrying bracketsrby means;

I otiaipairoi.holtsa53.3only;oneiof.whiclnisshbm 7 in; theedrawinge Fig. fiethisebraclteteisrdesigel nated 54, the upper enchof which carries .ats'uite able. scribingtobl 5.5.1.. In. Fig. '7 .the-..-bracket.is

desi nated afiiand at thenupperr enwthere; is.

mounted; a, motorroperated. milling; attachment. 51.; 111.31g, 8;.thebracketisdesignatednEB.andaisr wan ed... toh have a. ,motoreoperatech grinder 5%: 6g.

snitablxclamped atiits;uppenend. The-.gninden. n ay ;be.of, the type. generally known. as. the- FD A IA raMQ.

' neratiom or .1 the, .camemakinemachine; or. at:

v echment JPO Q. described. is; basedlorna. geariree 79;

duction principle. A suitable gearzlratidischo's'enfor .WQI'm 43 .and worm.v whe.e1;- 39;-. Eer..illustrathe worm shaft,

21?. be waenla e dei. 5 .1 k

revolution. Therefore, with a 1 to 1 ratio of the spur gears 50 and 41 (which is the ratio shown in the drawings), the ratio of actual spindle speed to cam shaft speed would also be 40 to 1. This latter ratio may be varied however, that is, increased or decreased, by substituting for th t ati araieme eear ing different appropriate ratios so that the ratio spindle speed to cam shaft speed would be 29 to 1,:3Q to l, 5Q to 1 6 0 to 1, etc. Fer-a particular spindle speed there is also a definite speedof rotation of the lead screw 16, of; the cross-slide I! which is driven from. the-. 1,ead screw. Therefore, in a latheequippewwith a quick change gear box of 48 stations, it-is possible to obtain 48 different speeds or. movements of the cross-slide. The ain tax is at G0 in Fig. l, and by manipulatingeth levers BI and 62 on the gear box according to the index chart 63 attached to the an, t rriers awnin ;area iaieea; ns tha the,--eanu na il i amete at t d nausea er wen- Q; ase. are Q 2- .8 f i s t relates;sneets' etnaea. in exa is. the scribing tool mounted on the cross-sli cl;; .and hamtatinasam hJ'QQlF-i r r By wa at anemia, et i; be ass med hat t v le i esz z.tq ease nea n he simp e hana E a- 4-. be n e? was fa i a 5 de es-1 is; meter wi h; hale 1%.: l s. .41 sent enant; he allqn na e- 8 .s..q khbyjhan -z The amqi tthen m vedz from. the; attachment and-:mughedout :bye suiteab emeans neh as and-saw; Then flmi sizthenl ep.l.aesi on t ea ma t tam w tntnami-l ina attachm nt 1m P. i :E a 7:)" i'ninlace ofiz hescni ina wl ita mente e-same procedure: -g'epeate fi k hfi grih n r e l;attachments o d rx r 1a amtrequirmeaccnracy rm a; han-.1 1: thousandths per 3:6; deg-re ta f th -c m ems eo heem llzin ttaehmentiwiligenerally; esnifieient-:-. Hqnsvea whenmaki ie a a require ageuracy to;a thousaridthper 3:6;1ie reesn the; grinding attahment -;(=Fig.-. 8*), eislemployed in place .Qiethfi millin at-tachment;. on after l use at, theslattejr and theiprocediire: vis.repeated-s1. aberet.

5In;1the;maki ng oiymqliezcbmpl ieatedwams One-31b shown in Fig. .10, a'chart of the fol 1owing form may be utilized to advantage.

In columnl are marked the operations to be performed or the step sequence'for themanufacture of the cam.. In column} are marked the amount of rise (or drop) required for therespectlve operations indicated in column 1.. I n .c ollimn 3 are marked the stations to be used' on the quick change gear box 68. In column 4 are marked the number of hundredths of the camblank that are required for the respective operations, and in column 5 appear the index points with reference to the hundredths divisions at which the respective operations are to be started.

In the production of the hypothetical cam assumed above and shown in Fig. 10, a suitable cam-blank is selected and placed on the camplate 36. The latter will be one of several, depending upon the machine for which the cam is being made, various machines requiring difierently sized center holes and different locations of the locating pin with reference to the zero line. Having placed the cam-blank on the cam-plate, they are oriented to the angular position shown in Fig. 10, and then secured to the cam shaft by a nut 15 as shown in Fig. 6. With the scribing tool attachment secured on the tool-post compound, the latter or the cross-slide or both are fed by hand to move the scriber to the starting point 80 of lobe l which according to column 5 of the chart is on line 28. With the gear box levers set to station .0l25 (column 3), power to the lathe is turned on. With the cam-blank rotating in the direction of arrow 89 and the scriber feeding on in the direction of arrow 90, line 8| constituting the outer edge of lobe I will be inscribed during rotation of the cam-blank through the required 15/l00ths (column 4). At point 82 the operator discontinues the power feed to the cross-slide, and by means of the hand knob ll' feeds the scriber in along the drop 83 to point 84 which according to the chart (column 5) is on line 38. At point 84 which is the beginning of dwell A, hand feed to the cross-slide is stopped, and during rotation of the cam-blank the required 9/100ths (column 4) line 85 is inscribed. At point 86 (which is on line 41) the scriber is fed out along line 81 to point 88 on line 58 (column 5). At this point which is the beginning of line 9| for lobe 2, the power feed to the cross-slide is again started, but with the gear box station set at .0075 (column 3). The same procedure as outlined above, but in accordance with the chart, is followed to make lobe 2, dwell B, etc. until the starting point at 80 is reached. This completes the cam lay-out mechanically and automatically. In order to finish the cam edge, the milling and/or grinding attachments are then utilized as explained above in connection with Fig. 9.

While I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that various modifications and changes will occur to those skllledgin the art without depart-T ing from the spiritand scope ofithis invention. I therefore contemplate. by the appendediclaims to cover any-suchvmodifications as fall within the true spirit and scope ofmy invention; Having-thus described my .invention, what. I claim asnewanddesire to secure by LettersPat entof the UniteclStates is:-- 1, --.1; A camI-making attachment fora lathe pro-- vided with axspindleand a cross-slide, comprising a fixture removablymountedon the bed of the lathe and in straddling relation-with respect to :theicros's-slide. ashaft journalled within said. fixture, Ta: cam-blank to-be shaped keyed to said shaft," -reductions:ygearing 'igbetween the T lathe spindle and. the cam shaft for 'rotating'the lat-' ter and the'- cam-blank at areduced speed; and aworking tool' rnountedon the cross-slide'of the lathe arranged to cooperate with the cam-blank; said cross-slide being power-fed at a speed hav ing a predetermined relation with the spindle speed to cause the tool to perform its function on the cam-blank along a path which coincides with the finished cam surface.

2. A cam-making attachment for use with a lathe provided with a spindle and a cross-slide, comprising a fixture removably mounted on the bed of the lathe and in straddling relation with respect to the cross-slide, a shaft journalled within said fixture, a cam-blank to be shaped keyed to said shaft, reduction gearing between the lathe spindle and the cam shaft for rotating the latter and the cam-blank at a reduced speed, and a plurality of working tools selectively mounted on the cross-slide of the lathe arranged to cooperate with the cam-blank, said cross-slide being power-fed at a speed having a predetermined relation with the spindle speed to cause the selected tool to perform its individual function on the cam-blank along a path which coincides with the finished cam surface.

3. A cam-making attachment as defined in claim 2, wherein the plurality of working tools consist of a scriber, a miller and a grinder.

4. A cam-making attachment for use with a lathe provided with a spindle, a cross-slide and a quick change gear box, comprising a fixture removably mounted on the bed of the lathe and in straddlin relation with respect to the cross slide, a shaft journalled within said fixture, a cam-blank to be shaped keyed to said shaft, reduction gearing between the lathe spindle and the cam shaft for rotating the latter and the cam-blank at a reduced speed, change gears for varyin the relative speeds of said shaft and spindle, the quick change gear box of the lathe adapted to vary selectively the relative speeds of the lathe spindle and the cross-slide, and a working tool mounted on the cross-slide of the lathe arranged to cooperate with the cam-blank, the relative transverse movement of the cross-slide and the rotary movement of the cam-blank being such that the working tool performs its function on the cam-blank along a path which coincides with the finished cam surface.

5. A earn-making attachment as defined in claim 4 wherein the working tool may be either a scriber, a miller or a grinder.

6; A cam-making attachment for use with a lathe of the type having a quick change gear box, comprising a fixture having a pair of side walls, a top plate and an intermediate plate, means for clamping the fixture at the lower ends of the side walls to the bed of the lathe and in straddling relation with respect to the cross-slide of the 

